Jumping on the MJ Band Wagon

I didn't care very much either way for Michael Jackson growing up.

Wait, I take that back.

When I was eight years old I was OBSESSED with the song, "Black or White". 

My primary colored cassette player for toddlers broke after playing the single for two months straight. I also would be lying if I didn't say that when "HIStory" came out, my best friend Angela and I would preform our own interpretive dance to "Earth Song" in front of (my still favorite) VHS camcorder.  Like every adult in 1979, my parents owned "Off the Wall" and like every child of the 80's, I remember being told that "Thriller" was the coolest thing I'll ever see in my lifetime. When the pedophilia allegations occurred in the early 90's and early 2000's, I rolled my eyes and let out a joke or two like everyone else. Other than that, I didn't think about Michael Jackson much. I was never proactive in putting an MJ song on, but if I came across one, I wouldn't turn it off.

With all that being said, I have had THE MOST UNBELIEVABLE NEED to dance to Michael Jackson these past six days. I can't even sit in my chair. All I've wanted to do is sing and shake my extraodinarily white ass to every MJ beat. 

And this is why I HAD to go to the Michael Jackson sing-along at the Alamo Drafthouse the night after MJ died. Something compelled me. I couldn't tell you what it was. I knew that the combination of the audio and visual of the man on the big screen and a crowd full of people who also had the unexplained compulsion to dance would be something close to transcendent. 

It was.

As I stood there butchering and maiming every "Thriller" move with a shit-eating grin on my face, I thought, "If only when we all die, the entire world got up and dance." I looked out to the crowd and saw that everyone else had the same look on their face. 

What a legacy...

6 of the World's Most Beautiful Women?

A few days ago, frequent Huffington Post blogger Lesley M. M. Blume (really?) posted an opinion editorial piece on the six most beautiful older women in the world. Her choices were; Helen Mirren, Iman (54 is old?), Carmen Dell'orefice, Anjelica Huston, Sofia Loren, and Gloria Steinem. Though I agree with each and everyone of her choices, I'm disappointed she only came up with six! Also, I find it funny that "the world" pretty much encompasses women who are popular in America and Western Europe.

Here are my top twelve choices of the most beautiful older women in "the world".

1.) Cloris Leachman- My number one favorite. The only other woman, besides my grandmother, that I hope to be like one day. She turned 83 in April and had one hell of a run on "So You Think You Can Dance?"

2.) Ellen Burstyn- this Oscar winning actress, famous for her roles in The Last Picture Show, The Exorcist, Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, and Requim for a Dream, turns 77 this year.

3.) Diane Keaton- still one of the most sought after actresses working in Hollywood, Diane Keaton turned 63 in January.

4.) Bernadette Peters- this talented singer, dancer, and actress turned 61 this year.

5.) Tina Turner- still singing and still kicking ass, Tina turns 70 in November.

6.) Lesley Ann Warren- this beautiful actress turns 63 this year.

7.) Karen Allen- recently reprised her role as Marion Ravenwood in the Indian Jones Adventures, this actress has spent most of the past decade selling her knits and teaching acting and yoga. She turns 58 this year.

8.) Mia Farrow- this model, actress, activist, ex of Woody Allen and Frank Sinatra, and mother of fifteen turned 64 in February.

9.) Ruby Dee- This stunning actress, playwright, and activist is turing 85 in October!

10.) Julie Christie- famous for her roles in Dr. Zhivago, Shampoo, and Away From Her turns 68.

11.) Beverly Johnson- One of the first popular African American models turns 57 this year.

12.) Stevie Nicks- The lead singer of Fleetwood Mac is 61 this year! Maybe too much blow is good for the skin?